Now that Thunder Over Louisville is in our rearview mirror, we know the next couple of weeks leading up to the Kentucky Derby will be a blur of activity.

The best advice is to pace yourself, but we never do!

The Frazier is also entering a busy time—a span of more than just a couple weeks, though. We are rolling out programs taking us well into the summer.

Upcoming programs at the Frazier graphic. Credit: Frazier History Museum.

On May 20, we are trading in thoroughbred horsepower for the four-wheel kind with Corvettes at the Frazier. We will have a special membership program at 9:30 a.m., then public programs at 11 and 1 around the history of the iconic Kentucky-made sports car.

On May 28, local author Jermaine Fowler—whose debut book, The Humanity Archive, has already made the New York Times Best Sellers list—will join us for the Members Only Frazier Book Club and a public program at 2 p.m.

Save the date for the evening of June 6, as we welcome the new University of Louisville football head coach Jeff Brohm for a “Family Affair.” Both of Jeff’s brothers have a role on the staff, and most of the Brohm family, including the parents, will join us that night.

We also have a special Juneteenth program in the works on June 19 with poet Frank X Walker. Stay tuned for more details.

Tickets are now on sale for a roaring good time on June 22 for the Michter’s Speakeasy. We invite you to get decked out in your best Roaring Twenties style with a costume contest and dance off, and oh, great Bourbon.

And speaking of Bourbon, join us June 29 for an evening featuring Bulleit and Blade & Bow Bourbons. You’ll get to sample four expressions, including a seventeen-year-old single barrel of Bulleit Bourbon, and delicious small bites from four of your favorite local restaurants.

Beer Fest is also on tap for July 29. Today and tomorrow mark the final days to purchase early bird tickets.

This isn’t everything, but it is a few of our favorite things coming up. Never mind about any of us pacing ourselves—it’s too late!

This Week in the Museum

Sippin’ with Stephen: Derby Strawberries with Louisville Tourism and Bourbon & Biscuits

As the official starting point of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, the Frazier History Museum shares stories of the people, places, and producers of the Kentucky Bourbon industry. To learn more, visit our Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Welcome Center or tour our Spirit of Kentucky® exhibition.—Simon Meiners, Communications & Research Specialist

This month’s episode of Sippin’ with Stephen features two familiar faces: Stacey Yates of Louisville Tourism and Jessica Dillree of Bourbon & Biscuits. Stacey and Jessica showcase a Derby party hors d’oeuvres called derby strawberries. They also show folks how to make a strawberry mint julep just in time for Derby parties! Both items are easy to make and will also make a huge splash at any Derby party you host. The recipes for each are provided below.

Derby Strawberries

Ingredients:

2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. Bourbon Vanilla
1 tbsp. Four Roses Bourbon (for the Run for the Roses!)
Strawberries with stems (for dipping)

Strawberry Mint Julep

Ingredients:

1 oz. strawberry simple syrup*
2 oz. Kentucky Bourbon
Fresh mint
Fresh strawberries

*For the strawberry syrup, simmer together 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water, and 1 cup of quartered fresh strawberries without the green for 5 minutes. Strain and chill syrup.

Instructions:

In a cocktail shaker without ice, muddle together 6–8 mint leaves, 3 strawberries (quartered, without stems), and simple syrup. Add Bourbon and ice and shake. Strain into a mint julep cup and pack the cup with crushed ice. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs and a strawberry.

Museum Shop: Kentucky Derby Socks

Everyone will know you’re sartorially savvy when they see you in these socks. We can’t guarantee they will help you pick the winner, but you will have happy feet—win or lose! They’re available online and in the Frazier’s Museum Shop.

Frazier+ Video of the Week: Gilded Age Dressmaker Madame Glover

Now the Frazier fits in your pocket! Curated by the museum’s education team, the mobile app Frazier+ provides engaging and educational Kentucky history content—free of charge. Users can explore the museum’s collection of videos, photos, and texts to either heighten their in-person experience or learn from the comfort of their couch or classroom. The free app is available for download for Android and iOS devices through the App Store and Google Play.—Simon Meiners, Communications & Research Specialist

Derby means a lot of things—and fashion is certainly high on that list. The trend of dressing in finery traces its roots to the early days of the Derby in the late 1800s, when one of the most important names in the country was a Louisville woman named Annie Casey Glover (1861–1947). Known as Madame Glover, she immigrated from Ireland to become an internationally known and respected designer, creator, and business leader who made dresses for every occasion, including many for attendees of the Kentucky Derby.

Find out about our great Madame Glover collection in the Frazier+ video with Hayley Rankin.

Musical Kentucky: A Song from each County, Edmonson–Garrard

Musical Kentucky graphic. Credit: Frazier History Museum.

As a supplement to the Musical Kentucky section of our Cool Kentucky exhibition, we’re curating a Spotify playlist of 120 songs: one song from each county in Kentucky. In 2023, once a month, we’ll share songs from ten counties, completing the playlist in December. For April, we’re sharing songs from these counties: Edmonson, Elliott, Estill, Fayette, Fleming, Floyd, Franklin, Fulton, Gallatin, and Garrard.

“Hardened Company” by Leah Blevins. (Released May 25, 2018.) Sandy Hook, Elliott County, native Leah Blevins comes from a musical family: although her parents were a dentist and a phlebotomist, her aunts, uncles, and grandparents toured Appalachia performing gospel. Her Papaw taught her to harmonize, helping shape the abilities of one of the most expressive vocalists in country music.

“Country” by Senora May. (Released September 8, 2018.) Raised on an Estill County farm, Senora May grew up “building fairy houses, making mud pies, [and] catching snakes” before majoring in ecological architecture at Berea College. On “Country,” she decries the coal industry’s impact on parts of the same Kentucky biosphere that inspires her: “you can kiss goodbye catalpa / earth and mealworms, too.”

“June Barcarolle” by Herman Chittison. (Recorded c. 1945.) In 1912–13, as a four-year-old living in Flemingsburg, Fleming County, Herman “Ivory” Chittison (1908–67) started playing the piano with one finger. By the late 1910s, he was performing hymns at Strawberry Methodist Church. Composed by Tchaikovsky in 1876, the short piano piece “June Barcarolle” conjures a sunny June day in Russia.

“Tender Kind” by S.G. Goodman. (Released July 17, 2020.) Raised in Hickman, Fulton County, S.G. Goodman grew up singing in church, working in sweet corn, and gigging for gar in the Bayou de Chien, a Mississippi River tributary behind her family’s farm. She now makes Americana music inspired by West Kentucky life, touching everything from service/restaurant work to the opioid crisis.

“Some Little Bug is Going to Find You” by Bradley Kincaid. (Recorded September 14, 1933.) When Point Leavell, Garrard County’s Bradley Kincaid (1895–1989) read the hilarious lyrics to the 1910s black comedy ballad “Some Little Bug is Going to Find You,” he composed a melody. “Eating lobster cooked or plain is only flirting with ptomaine . . . Eating juicy sliced pineapple makes a sexton dust a chapel.”

Early Bird Discount on Beer Fest Tickets Ends Tomorrow!

2023 Summer Beer Fest at Frazier graphic. Credit: Frazier History Museum.

Last month, we announced the return of Summer Beer Fest at Frazier! Held on Main Street in front of the museum, the block party–style festival will feature more than 200 specialty beers, food, retail, live music, and a fun zone with games and activities. So don’t forget to purchase your tickets before Early Bird prices end tomorrow, Tuesday, April 25, at 11:59 p.m.!

Early Bird, March 27–April 25: $80 (VIP), $50 (GA)
General Sale, Starts April 26: $85 (VIP), $55 (GA)

Proceeds from ticket sales support the museum’s exhibitions and educational programs, including free or reduced admission for Title 1 students; the Bridging the Divide series; spring, summer, fall, and winter camps; guided tours, guest engagements, Stories in Mind, and Frazier Weekly.

We hope to see you there!

Simon Meiners
Communications & Research Specialist

Fifth Third Bank Hosts Reception for Cool Kentucky Art Traveling Exhibition

What a night! April 13 was a busy evening for the Frazier Museum: first, we hosted over 800 people on site for the Kentucky Derby Festival’s BourbonVille event; and second, we took part in a reception for Cool Kentucky art hosted by the Fifth Third Bank branch on South Fourth Street.

In conjunction with the Frazier’s Cool Kentucky exhibition, the education team collaborates with local schools and organizations to invite their students and constituents to create art inspired by the question, “What’s cool about Kentucky?” Through our current partnership with the Council on Developmental Disabilities, we have student art displayed in the museum’s Second Floor Marshall Foundation Education Center—and when we needed additional space to share adult art, Fifth Third Bank answered the call. On display at the bank since fall 2022, the exhibit of adult art culminated with a terrific reception for artists, friends, family, and the general public. Guests enjoyed live music, refreshments, and chatting with the artists about their work.

We are grateful to Fifth Third Bank and the Council on Developmental Disabilities for their collaborative community spirit and for a wonderful evening had by all. It’s just one more way we are working towards our museum goal of meaning more to more people, every day—and having fun while doing it!

If you know of a school or an organization that might be interested in presenting artworks for a future rotation of Cool Kentucky Art, please ask them to reach out to education@fraziermuseum.org.

Stories Shared at “Fireside Chat” with Wade and Alice Houston

What a night!

When you need some inspiration, maybe some advice, how about a laugh (they are like a comedy team at times), or better yet, reassurance we are going to be okay—Alice and Wade Houston may be the couple to call.

For an hour and a half last Wednesday night, they shared themselves with an audience here at the Frazier. We titled the program Wade and Alice Houston: Leading by Example because they walk the walk when it comes to giving their time, talents, and even money to help Louisville.

That evening, there were testimonials of those gifts from people like Sadiqa Reynolds, Dr. Ricky Jones, and Derwin Webb, each of whom shared personal stories of guidance from Wade and Alice. They have broken barriers in business and sports and hold true to the principles of family, faith, and education.

We asked them about the struggle Louisville faces right now with so much violence and heartache. Part of their answer is that we can’t look away, we can’t deny what got us here, and we can’t pretend it doesn’t impact us all—rather, we have to see the connectedness to the entire city in order to find solutions.

One person who attended told me it reminded her of a “fireside chat,” and I loved that. Conversations, not speeches, and personal. That chat left me feeling empowered, knowing that we all have the ability to make ourselves and our community better. You know, walk the walk.

Rachel Platt
Director of Community Engagement

Kentucky Wildcats Quarterback Will Levis in 2023 NFL Draft

As we approach the 2023 NFL Draft, which takes place this Thursday through Saturday, one of the most tantalizing storylines is where exactly outgoing Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Will Levis will be selected. Like anything else related to professional football, opinions vary, and everyone (and his mom) has an opinion about his prospects.

For example, CBS sports analyst Danny Kannell was quoted saying Levis is the most overhyped college quarterback he has seen in a decade. On the flip side, Peyton Manning himself stated Levis “might have been genetically engineered to be an NFL QB.”

As for where exactly Levis will be selected, there is no clear consensus on his draft position. As of April 18, The Athletic has Levis at number twenty on its Big Board, the nickname NFL scouts and team general managers usually give to their own spreadsheets for player rankings in the draft, based on factors like value, position, combine performance, and game tape.

University of Kentucky senior quarterback Will Levis shows his passing form during a Pro Day workout at Nutter Field House in Lexington, March 24, 2023. Published on page B3 of the March 26, 2023, *Courier Journal*. Credit: Jeff Faughender, *Courier Journal*.

That said, there is no guarantee Levis will be the twentieth pick. For one thing, he could go higher. Both The Athletic and Sports Illustrated have projected him as high as the eleventh pick, going down the road to Nashville to play for the Tennessee Titans. However, depending on which NFL analyst or scout you ask, he could either be drafted right around twentieth or end up in the top ten. If that were to happen, Levis would be the first quarterback from a Kentucky school since Tim Couch (chosen number one overall in 1999) to be selected in the top ten of the NFL Draft.

Regardless of one’s opinions of Levis’s skills and potential, that would be one hell of an accomplishment.

And remember, there’s a section in the Frazier’s Kentucky Rivalries exhibition devoted to University of Kentucky football players. Be sure to see it during your next visit!

Frazier Membership Madness Winner Donates Prize to Local Church

Members Experience More here at the Frazier History Museum. Our members only NCAA DI Men’s Basketball Tournament Bracket Pool came down to the wire! The winner had to wait and see. If UConn lost, he would have lost by only 1 point! See our celebration here and read what plans the winner had for his new 70” Samsung Class 4K Crystal UHD LED Smart TV with HDR in the article below. To learn more about this exclusive and about membership, visit our membership web page.—Amanda Egan, Membership & Database Administrator

I was so surprised to find out that I had the winning bracket in the Frazier Membership Madness bracketology event sponsored by Assured Partners. My wife and I attended the kickoff event, Bracketology and Brews with Andy, where we participated in a wonderful evening of strategy and tips on how to complete a bracket. While most of the attendees picked Purdue going all the way, with my Contributor level membership, I thankfully had multiple brackets to give me the opportunity to take a different approach. I decided that UConn would win, and then worked my bracket backwards from there.

Why UConn? Well, when I first came to the US from Australia, I lived about two miles from Storrs, Connecticut, the home of the University of Connecticut. And that’s where I learned about the religion of college basketball.

So, to my great delight, UConn won the tournament, and I won the Frazier Membership Madness grand prize: a stunning 70-inch Samsung TV.

But there was one problem: the TV was way too big for anywhere in our little house!

So, I decided to donate the prize to Vineyard Church Southern Indiana. They use confidence monitors for their talented worship team, and I thought this TV would be perfect for them.

I would like to offer my thanks to Assured Partners and the Frazier History Museum for this wonderful opportunity. And I would also like to thank Vineyard Church Southern Indiana for their willingness to accept my donation.

I hope you all had a great time with Frazier Membership Madness. And I hope to see you all again next year!

Andrew J. Spendlove
Contributor Level Member, Frazier History Museum
Guest Contributor

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